th Imperial
Federation. Colonialism had only inertia in its favour. Annexation
ran counter both to filial sentiment and to national hopes, but its
discussion served to show the desperate need of change and forced the
advocates of other ideals to set forth their creeds. Independence
meant {138} the complete severing of the ties which bound Canada to the
rest of the Empire. Imperial Federation proposed to set up in London a
new authority with representatives from all the white Dominions and
with power to tax and bind. Each played its needed part. The
advocates of Imperial Federation did much to prevent a drift towards
Annexation which might otherwise have set in. The advocates of
Independence expressed the national aspirations which must be satisfied
in any solution that would be enduring. The resultant of these forces
was of a character none had precisely anticipated. Empire and
Independence were reconciled.

In this period the two most important steps towards co-operation were
the appointment of a Canadian High Commissioner in London and the
beginning of the Colonial Conferences.

The first step was taken on the initiative of the Macdonald Government
in 1879. It was found necessary to appoint a Canadian representative
in London both to act as ambassador at large in dealing with European
states, and to serve as a link between the Canadian and British
Governments. The latter purpose was especially significant. In the
days of {139} colonial subordination the governor-general had served as
the only needed link. His duty was to govern the colony in accordance
with the interest and policy of the mother country, and in carrying
that out he was responsible to the British Government. Now he was
becoming the representative, not of the British Government, but of the
king, who was king of Canada as well as of the United Kingdom, and,
like the king, he governed by the advice of the responsible ministers
in the land where he resided. This change in the governor-general's
status marked the ending of the old colonial relationship. The
appointment of a commissioner to represent to one free government the
wishes of another free government was one of the first steps in
building up the new relationship.

The initiative in the second step came from the United Kingdom. A
change was now apparent in the attitude of many Englishmen upon
imperial questions. The present value of the colonies, their possible
greater value in